We covered how the AR-15’s gas tube length affects dwell time, which can also cause the rifle or pistol to be over-gassed or under-gassed. Is your AR short-stroking or, inversely, producing excess felt recoil and throwing spent brass 30 feet across the range’s lanes? This is easy to diagnose. Let’s review. What is “Over-/Under-Gassed”? The…
Why is the M4/Government barrel so popular? What are all the available barrel profiles, and which one should you pick? Is one truly the best, overall? Let’s discuss. What is A Barrel Profile? Why Does it Matter? The profile of an AR-15 barrel refers to the barrel’s thickness and shape. A barrel’s profile determines its…
Your AR-15’s probably more accurate than you. But you can mitigate your skill issue and increase your accuracy by installing an utterly simple and proven device: The forward grip. A quality foregrip improves accuracy through better control of the muzzle, which also provides good recoil mitigation. But there’s a common problem facing the venerable foregrip….
Finished building your custom AR-15? Bought a new barreled upper or an all-new rifle? Trying to maximize your accuracy and land some sub-MOA groupings at the range? Then you’ve got to follow the steps below. Why You Should Break in Your Barrel Sure, you’ve bought plenty of things that came with some sort of “break-in”…
If you were looking up how to build an AR-15 upper, or how to install a new gas block, you might’ve come across this topic: Does your AR-15 barrel need dimples for the gas block’s set screws? What is dimpling, anyway? Let’s cover it. What Are AR-15 Barrel Dimples? Barrel dimples are small indentations made…
Long gone are the days of just buying a generic phosphate-coated, “mil-spec” bolt carrier group. Dozens of combinations of new steels and coatings have hit the market. But some steels and coatings might not be ideal. Others provide genuine improvements in bolt life, reliability, and ease of cleaning. So, which AR-15 bolt and carrier combo’s…
A lot of “AR-15 experts” who proudly declare their uncontested knowledge of the AR platform are about to get upset. That’s too bad, because those people are, objectively, wrong on this matter. Here’s the truth: When it comes to AR-15 bolts, there is zero meaningful difference between a 9310 bolt and a C158 bolt. Cue…
You’ve probably heard or saw discussions about why the relationship between the AR-15’s gas length and barrel length — which determines dwell time — matters so much. But what even is dwell time? Let’s cover it, and why it matters for the sake of your rifle’s reliability. What is Dwell Time? Dwell time measures the…
Your AR-15’s bolt carrier group (BCG) cycles ammunition at a high rate of fire. It extracts, ejects, and chambers new rounds with every pull of the trigger. But to do all this, the BCG gets dirty. Very dirty. The AR’s downfall is its “direct impingement” gas system, which launches carbon, gas, and corrosive chemicals from…
Building an AR-15 is already the choice for most owners. The weapon platform designed by Eugene Stoner was made to be modular and customizable. But once you’ve put together the standard rifle or pistol (either from a kit or off the gun store shelf), how do you make it your own? What are the best…
